46 Friday Sports Friday, December 13, 2019 Jesus ‘cannot stop scoring’ as hat-trick lifts City mood

ZAGREB: Gabriel Jesus said he cannot afford to it will help us in the future.” Guardiola made stop scoring goals after a hat-trick helped Man- eight changes from the side beaten 2-1 at home chester City put their Premier League woes to by Manchester United on Saturday to leave the one side with a 4-1 Champions League win over English champions 14 points off the top of the Dinamo Zagreb in the Croatian capital on Premier League table with Raheem Sterling and Wednesday. The Brazilian is making the most of Kevin De Bruyne among those left on the bench. his extended run in the team in the absence of Derby defeat meant City had won just two the injured Sergio Aguero. of their previous seven games in all competi- But prior to a double in another 4-1 City win tions and another poor night beckoned when at Burnley last week, Jesus had gone 10 games Damian Kadzior’s cross was brilliantly smashed for club and country without a goal. “I have to past Claudio Bravo by Olmo, despite the do my job, my job is to score goals and help the Chilean goalkeeper getting a hand to it. City team,” he told BT Sports. “Last month I was not have now kept just one clean sheet in 12 games, scoring so I felt so bad because I have to score, but instead of exploiting the weaknesses in the help my teammates. Now the goals are coming, visitors’ defense, Zagreb sat on their lead and so I am so happy. I cannot stop.” were punished as Guardiola’s men took control Dinamo needed to win to have any chance of of the game. joining Group C winners City in the last 16 and got off to the perfect start through Dani Olmo’s Marauding Mendy sweetly struck volley 10 minutes in. However, City’s pressure told with an equalizer 11 min- even a much-changed City side had way too utes ahead of half-time. Dinamo were unhappy much quality for the hosts and a trio of fine fin- play was not stopped as they had a man down ishes from Jesus in a 20-minute spell either side injured, but City were within their rights to play ZAGREB: Dinamo Zagreb’s Spanish forward Daniel Olmo (L) and Manchester City’s Spanish midfielder of half-time turned the game around before Phil on and Jesus rose highest to head home Riyad Rodri (2L) vie for the ball during the UEFA Champions League Group C football match between GNK Di- Foden added a late fourth. Defeat means Dinamo Mahrez’s cross. Benjamin Mendy has struggled namo Zagreb and Manchester City FC at the Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb. -— AFP bow out of European competition by slipping to for fitness and form on his return from nearly two the bottom of the group as Champions League full seasons out injured, but the French left- debutants Atalanta finish second behind City. back’s performance was among the most en- in both Jesus’s goals inside the first 10 minutes fed Mendy, whose teasing cross left Jesus with “We played 75 minutes very, very well,” said couraging of the night for Guardiola. Mendy of the second half. the simple task of prodding into an empty net. City boss Pep Guardiola. “We’d qualified, but we made his name rampaging forward for the Firstly, neat interplay from Mendy and Foden And Foden rounded off a great night for his case came here for the club, for the prestige, to learn Monaco side that reached the semi-finals of the freed the Brazilian inside the area and he turned for more Premier League playing time by slot- to play in this competition. “We had many ab- Champions League three seasons ago and onto his right foot before finding the far corner. ting home Bernardo Silva’s cross six minutes sences, but we got a good result and hopefully looked more like his old self as he was involved Foden was also involved for the third as his pass from time.— AFP

UEFA Champions League tables No one wants to face Liverpool

UEFA Champions League tables after Wednesday’s matches in the final round of group games (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): in last 16: Robertson Group A Paris SG 6 5 1 0 17 2 16 — qualified LONDON: Defending champions Liverpool will we’ve done things in the last two years, nobody Real Madrid 6 3 2 1 14 8 11 — qualified be the team others want to avoid when the draw wants to play against us,” Robertson said. Club Brugge 6 0 3 3 4 12 3 Galatasaray 6 0 2 4 1 14 2 for the last 16 of the Champions League is held “That’s the atmosphere we’ve created, a team Group B on Monday, left back Andy Robertson has said. which has been to the final twice and has lost Bayern Munich 6 6 0 0 24 5 18 — qualified Liverpool reached the knockout stages as group one and won one. Tottenham 6 3 1 2 18 14 10 — qualified winners with a 2-0 victory at Salzburg on Tues- “Maybe the first season when we went to the Olympiakos 6 1 1 4 8 14 4 Red Star Belgrade 6 1 0 5 3 20 3 day, and could be drawn against Real Madrid, final... we did not get the respect we deserved. Group C Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Atalanta or Now we know we are respected in Europe. No Man City 6 4 2 0 16 4 14 — qualified Olympique Lyon. one will want us.” The draw is set for 1100 GMT Atalanta 6 2 1 3 8 12 7 — qualified Shakhtar Donetsk 6 1 3 2 8 13 6 Juergen Klopp’s team have made the final of in Nyon, Switzerland. “We’ll wait... and see who Dinamo Zagreb 6 1 2 3 10 13 5 Europe’s elite club competition two years in a we get,” Robertson added. “We know it’ll be Group D row, finishing runners-up to Real in 2017-18 and tough, regardless, but we look forward to the Juventus 6 5 1 0 12 4 16 — qualified Atletico Madrid 6 3 1 2 8 5 10 — qualified beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 to win their first challenge as we want to go far in this tournament Bayer Leverkusen 6 2 0 4 5 9 6 trophy under the German in Madrid last season. again. “We know that now we’re the champions Lokomotiv Moscow 6 1 0 5 4 11 3 “We’re respected in this tournament. The way everyone wants to beat us.” — Reuters Group E Liverpool 6 4 1 1 13 8 13 — qualified Napoli 6 3 3 0 11 4 12 — qualified Salzburg 6 2 1 3 16 13 7 RC Genk 6 0 1 5 5 20 1 Group F Blades boss seeks reinforcements Barcelona 6 4 2 0 9 4 14 — qualified Borussia Dortmund 6 3 1 2 8 8 10 — qualified LONDON: Sheffield United plan to recruit new three” positions that need to be reinforced next Inter Milan 6 2 1 3 10 9 7 Slavia Prague 6 0 2 4 4 10 2 players in the January transfer window as their month. “I’ve said to the owners that maybe if we Group G impressive start to the season has put them in a were in a different position you should keep your RB Leipzig 6 3 2 1 10 8 11 — qualified good position to consider investment in the hand in your pocket,” Wilder told a news con- Lyon 6 2 2 2 9 8 8 — qualified Benfica 6 2 1 3 10 11 7 squad, manager Chris Wilder said yesterday. The ference ahead of Saturday’s league match Zenit St. Petersburg 6 2 1 3 7 9 7 Blades, who returned to the Premier League after against Aston Villa. “But I think now is the mo- Group H 12 years, were expected to struggle but Wilder’s ment to strengthen and we’ll have conversations Valencia 6 3 2 1 9 7 11 — qualified side sit eighth with 22 points from 16 games. regarding where we can go with that. It’s impor- Chelsea 6 3 2 1 11 9 11 — qualified Ajax 6 3 1 2 12 6 10 However, Wilder is concerned the high inten- tant that we get the balance right, get the right Lille 6 0 1 5 4 14 1 sity of the Premier League will begin to take its players in from a mentality point of view and to toll on the players and he identified “two or strengthen the group.—Reuters